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Instead of interrupting your regular schedule to fundraise for KLRU-TV, Austin PBS, we’ve decided to stick to our normal program lineup and TRUST YOU to support your PBS station.

We often hear from our viewers, “Why don’t you air the shows I depend on all year long during the fundraising drive…I’d like to pledge my support for them?” Well, now is your chance. This week (Monday, June 7 through Friday, June 11) we’re reaching to achieve an aggressive June fundraising goal, but we’ve set aside the traditional pledge programs to bring you a lineup of PBS Newshour, Antiques RoadShow, American Experience, Nova, Frontline, and more. We only ask that you support KLRU. We also have some great thank you gifts, plus every online supporter this week will receive a new KLRU water bottle.

In addition to your favorite PBS programming, members of the community will be joining us to show their support this week. We hope you’ll tune in to see your friends and neighbors live in our studio. It is truly a community effort running Austin’s only locally owned and operated TV station and we thank everyone for their help!

KLRU was recently awarded a $5,000 grant from the Austin Community Foundation to underwrite the cost of educational children’s programming used in Ready to Learn, its early childhood literacy initiative. KLRU’s nationally award-winning outreach services provide life-long learning tools to fulfill the educational needs of children, teachers and parents in Central Texas. In particular, Ready to Learn provides families with a variety of critical skills that promote school readiness in our region’s youngest learners. We are thrilled that the Austin Community Foundation has chosen to partner with us in providing this vital service.

More than 800 attendees from PBS stations across the country will be in Austin from May 16-20 for the PBS Annual Meeting. This is a fantastic opportunity for many KLRU employees to meet colleagues, share new fundraising, production and outreach projects, and view upcoming PBS content and programming.

It’s also a wonderful chance for the spotlight to be on KLRU and Austin, and we look forward to highlighting some of our recent initiatives, like:

We are excited to be a part of the PBS Annual Meeting, to share KLRU’s vision and mission, and to learn from our fellow stations and colleagues. As always, our focus will be on how to provide central Texas with the best programming and services possible – to educate, inspire, and entertain viewers of all ages!

Be sure to check back in with us next week if you’re interested in what’s happening with PBS – nationally and locally!

Members of the KLRU Producers Circle attended a reception featuring actress, educator and activist Anna Deavere Smith, May 10, in Studio 6B. The reception immediately followed Smith’s taping of Texas Monthly Talks.

Smith’s work as an actress includes roles in theater, film and television. She is also well known as the author of critically acclaimed plays and books. It’s a career that has won wide respect, as well as a number of awards, including two Obies, two Tony nominations and a spot as a finalist for a Pulitzer Prize.

To see her Texas Monthly Talks appearance, tune into KLRU on May 27th. To find out more information on KLRU’s Producer Circle and future Producer Circle events, contact Sharon Guess at sguess@klru.org.

Douglas Drane of the Douglas Drane Charitable Trust recently donated $25,000 to KLRU’s Community Research Information and Service Project (CRISP). This project is central to KLRU achieving its mission to provide quality content that engages people- leading to a more vibrant community. Upon completion, CRISP will enable KLRU to enhance our ability to communicate with viewers and donors through enhanced web experiences. Mr. Drane’s considerable contribution will significantly help foster innovation and reduce fundraising costs by increasing our capacity to engage in electronic communication with our members, allowing us to devote more resources to the programming and services so valued by the Central Texas community.

Thank you again for your support during the KLRU March pledge drive. We were able to raise more money, with less on-air pledge time than ever before – thanks to the swift and generous action of viewers like you!

If you pledged in March and requested a premium from any one of our special pledge programs as a thank-you gift, you should receive it during the month of May. We are happy to provide the CDs, DVDs, and other resources from your favorite programs and we truly appreciate your patience while your orders are processed and shipped.

If you have any questions about your pledge or the status of your premium order, please don’t hesitate to call KLRU Viewer Services at 512-475-9017 or email membership@klru.org.

KLRU is proud to present Ballet Austin performing Stephen Mill’s Truth & Beauty: The Bach Project at 8:00 PM on Thursday, April 29. This performance is part of KLRU’s InCONTEXT Arts Series, showcasing the depth and breadth of creativity across our community.

Local production of InCONTEXT is made possible by the generous support of The Kodosky Foundation, Hyde Park Bar and Grill, the Cultural Arts Division of the City of Austin, and, as always, the generous support of members of KLRU. This is a great example of the depth and breadth of support KLRU receives: a foundation, a locally owned business, a local government entity and members. A winning combination for Austin and Central Texas!

When Families Grieve features the personal stories of several families with children who have experienced the death of a parent. This powerful and heartwarming 60-minute show, featuring the Sesame Street Muppets, will provide families in the military and in the general public a valuable service by making the courageous struggles of parents and children visible, while sharing strategies that have helped them cope with grief.

Most recent data state that one in 20 American children under the age of 15 experiences the death of a parent whether it be from illness, suicide, accident or war-related. The death of a parent is one of the most difficult things a child can face; but children are not the only ones that feel overwhelmed and experience change in their behavior. Grieving is a family experience and, thus, the entire family needs support during this most difficult time. This is why When Families Grieve will harness the unique approach that Sesame takes in addressing children’s needs: using the Sesame Street Muppets to aid the communication between adults and children with language and strategies that are child appropriate and useful for the whole family.

Hospice Austin’s Camp Brave Heart is now accepting applications for a free three-day camp, to be held Aug. 2-4. It combines grief support with the fun of a recreational camp and is open to any child in the community age six through 17 who has lost someone due to death in the past year. A majority of the losses involve parents or siblings. We have openings for 100 kids, and unfortunately the need is such that it tends to fill up fast. Parents and guardians can receive more information and an application by calling 342-4784 or by visiting www.hospiceaustin.org <http://www.hospiceaustin.org/> .

When Families Grieve bilingual resource kits will be distributed nationwide.
KLRU will have 100 kits available.
To reserve a kit for pick-up, please email maappleman@klru.org.

On Monday, April 5 at 8 p.m. EDT, PBS Teachers will host the next webinar in its PBS Teachers Live! series: “Celebrating the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day.” During this event, participants will learn about two new PBS projects: “Earth Days: American Experience,” a new film by Robert Stone chronicling the history of the modern environmental movement, and Growing Greener Schools, a film and educational resources aimed at empowering students, teachers, and parents to incorporate green ideas into both school buildings and classroom curriculums. Presenters include the filmmakers and educational experts who will provide resources and strategies to help teachers celebrate this important anniversary in innovative and meaningful ways.

A Fresh Look at Teaching The Diary of Anne Frank

On Wednesday, April 7 at 8 p.m. EDT, we will host a webinar entitled, “A Fresh Look at Teaching The Diary of Anne Frank.” Webinar participants will get a sneak peek at the all-new adaptation airing on Masterpiece and review educator materials created for middle school and high school. These materials include a teacher’s guide created in collaboration with the Holocaust education organization Facing History & Ourselves as well as an omnibus Resources Listing, which collects the best existing resources on Anne Frank and her historical context and offers resources for teens interested in journaling with digital media. Speakers include the author of the teacher’s guide and an educator from Facing History and Ourselves.

Note: At the close of every live Webinar, attendees will have the opportunity to request a Certificate of Participation.

The Biscuit Brothers will end their Tuesday schedule from 11-11:30am and move to the Saturday 8:30-9am slot beginning April 3rd. The new Biscuit Brother episodes will start airing Saturday, April 10th!

Beginning April 6th, Bob the Builder will change it’s schedule from Saturdays, 8:30-9am to Tuesdays, 11-11:30am.